Grease distributing system



Jan. 16, 1934.

M. RESWICK 1,943,838

GREASE DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 8, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 16,1934. M. RESWICK I 1,943,838

*5 llllllll llIlHlllHHll 7/ J7 26 A920 T Patented Jan. 16, 1934 UNITEDSTATES GREASE DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM Maurice Reswick, Pittsburgh, Pa,assignor to Pennsylvania Lubricating Company, a corporation of DelawareApplication August 8, 1931. Serial No. 555,983

5 Claims. (01. 184-7) This invention relates to improvements inlubricating devices and more particularly to improvements in anautomatic pressure lubricating system.

The invention will be fully understood from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which latter- Fig.1 is a diagrammatic view of the device with parts in section,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 11-11 ofFig. l on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line IIIIII ofFig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the rotary air valve unit,

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line V--V of Fig.4, and

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line VI--VI ofFig. 1.

Referring particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 1 designates agrease drum of standard type having a pump 2 associated therewith, bymeans of which grease is forced under pressure through a line 3,strainer 4 and valve 5 to a reservoir 6. Reservoir 6 is of cylindricalform and contains a piston '7 which is actuated by compressed air or thelike to maintain the grease in the reservoir under greater thanatmospheric pressure. A gauge device 8 is associated with the piston.The compressed air actuates the piston from a line 10 which opens into acylinder 11 of relatively small diameter as compared with the diameterof the reservoir. The compressed air actuates a piston 12 which issecured to a piston rod 13 which in turn is secured to the piston '7.The compressed air maintains the grease in the reservoir at asubstantially constant moderate pressure preferably just sufficient tocause it to flow through the manifold leading to the battery oflubricators to be later described. The pressure within the reservoir maybe from approximately 25 to 50 pounds per square inch. depending uponthe density of the lubricant.

The grease is delivered from the reservoir 6 through a manifold 16 to abattery of lubricators A. Each lubricator comprises a measuring pump 18including a cylinder 19 having a bore 20. The manifold 16 communicateswith the bore 20 through a passage 21. Outlet passage 23 communicateswith the bore at a position spaced longitudinally of the bore from theinlet passage 21. A line 24 leads from the outlet passage to a suitablebearing or the like to be lubricated. A

valve 25 is reciprocally mounted in the bore 20 and is provided with agroove 26 adapted to alternately communicate with the inlet passage 21and outlet passage 23 during reciprocation of the valve.

The grease is intermittently delivered to the grease lines 24 under apotential high pressure by means of a measuring pump. The pump includesa bore 30 which communicates through the wall of cylinder 19 with thebore 20 of the cylinder at the groove 26 of valve 25. Bore 30 is incommunication with the groove 26 at all positions of the valve 25. Aplunger 31 is mounted for reciprocation in the bore and is formedunitary with a piston 33. Piston 33 is adapted to be reciprocated in acylindrical bore 34 formed in the pump. The extent of reciprocation ofthe piston 33 can be regulated by means of an adjusting screw 35. Themeasuring pumps or individual lubricators are assembled together withall grease and air manifolds in register and are held together by meansof bolts 3'7 which pass through holes 37' in the lubricators.

Reciprocation of the valve 25 and the unitary piston and plunger iseifected in syncronized relation by means of compressed fluid such ascompressed air or the like, by the following arrange-- ment of parts:The compressed air is delivered from line 10 through a line 38 to asuitable valve such as a six way rotary disc valve 39. A line 40 leadsfrom valve 39 to an inlet 41 disposed at one end of valve 25. Inlets 41of the lubricators communicate to form an air manifold 41'. A line 42communicates with valve 39 and an inlet 43 disposed at the opposite endof valve 25. Inlets 43 of the lubricators communicate to form an airmanifold 43'. Actuation of the air control valve 39 successively opensand closes the supply of air through lines 40 and 42 and therebyreciprocates the valve 25. Admission of air through line 42 and openings43 in manifold 43 causes the valve 25 to be moved to the left as viewedin Fig. 2, closing the outlet passage 23 and opening the inlet from thegrease manifold. The plunger 31 is then withdrawn to permit the greaseto flow into the pump. This is effected by the air control valve 39which permits compressed air to flow through a line 45 to an airmanifold 46. Further rotation of the air control valve causes air to beadmitted to air manifold 41' to force the valve 25 to the right, asviewed in Fig. 2, and causing line 24 to communicate with the pump.Compressed air is then caused to travel through a line 48 to the airmanifold 4''! whereby the pump plunger is caused to force the greasefrom the 11 pump through the line 24 to the bearing, not shown. Thiscycle of operations is repeated with each revolution of the disc in theair control valve. The air control valve 39 is the valve disclosed in mycopending application Serial No. 440,533, filed March 31, 1930. Thevalve comprises a housing closed by a plate 51. Plate 51 is-providedwith passageways52 opening through the inner face of the plate andextending to its periphery. The rotary unit of the valve comprises thedrive shaft 54 and head 55. The inner face of the head is held againstthe plate 51 by a spring 56. The inner face is provided with a centrallydisposed cylindrical recess 57, communicating .withexhaust port 58. Aninlet port 59 extends transversely through the body. Rotation of thedrive shaft 54 opens and closes the air supply as previously described.

It will be seen that the piston 33 has a larger diameter than theplunger 31 whereby a high degreeof pressure ;can be developed upon thegrease delivered from the pump. This pressure will .develop-when thereis corresponding resistance in the line leading to'the hearing. Thegrease follows a simple path to the bearings through ample andfreepassages. Heavy greases can be :handled without danger .ofseparation, breaking :up of originalstructure, or clogging .of thegrease passages. Preferably the air control valve is connected throughproper gearing to some revolving :part of the machine to be lubricated.

Various .changesmaybe made within thescope of the appended claims inwhich it is desired to claim all novelty inherent in the invention asbroadly as the prior art permits.

Iclaim:

1. In a lubricant distributing system, a measuring pump including avalve cylinder having longitudinally spaced inlet and outlet passagesanda bore intermediate said passages, a plunger reciprocable in thebore, a piston :cylinder, .a uni- :tary plunger and piston reciprocablein the bore and piston cylinder respectively, a valve memberreciprocably mounted in the valve cylinder :and having agroove of alength less than the distance between said passages, said groovealternately establishing communication between the bore and inletpassage in one position .of the valve .and between the bore and theoutlet passage in the other position of the valve, means for supplyinglubricant under pressure to the inlet passage, a source .of fluid .underhigh pressure, fluid conduit lines leading from the source to oppositeends of the valve and piston cylinders, and a valve for directing thefluid under high pressure alternately through the lines -leading to thecylinder to reciprocate the valve member whereby the inlet passage andoutlet passage are successively opened and closed, .and for directingthe fluidunder high pressure alternately through the lines leading tothe piston cylinder to reciprocate the piston to draw in a charge oflubricant through the open inlet passage and eject the charge throughthe open outlet passage.

2. In a lubricant distributing system, .a measuring pump including avalve cylinder having longitudinally spaced inlet and outlet passagesand a bore intermediate said passages, a plunger reciprocable :in thebore, a piston cylinder, a unitary plunger and piston reciprocable inthe bore and piston cylinder respectively, a valve member reciprocablymounted in the valve cylinder and having a groove of a length less thanthe distance between said passages, said groove alternately establishingcommunication between the bore and inlet passage in one position of thevalve and between the bore and the outlet passage in the other positionof the valve, means for supplying lubricant under pressure to the inletpassage, a source of fluid under high pressure, fluid conduit linesleading from the source to opposite ends of the valve and pistoncylinders, and a valve having passageways operative for directing fluidunder high pressure in succession to the valve cylinder to open theinlet, to the piston cylinder to draw :ina charge of lubricant, to thevalve cylinder to open the outlet, and to the piston cylinder to movethe plunger to discharge position.

3. In a lubricant distributing system, a measuring :pump including avalve cylinder having longitudinally spaced inlet and outlet passagesand a bore intermediate said passages, a plunger reciprocable in'thebore, a piston cylinder, a unitary plunger and piston reciprocable inthe bore and piston cylinder respectively, a valve member reciprocablymounted in the valve cylinder and having :a groove of a length less thanthe distance between said passages, said ,groove alternatelyestablishing communication between the bore and inlet passage :in oneposition of the valve and between the bore and the outlet passage in the:other position of the valve, means for supplying lubricant underpressure to the inlet passage, a source of fluid under high pressure,fluid conduit lines leading from the source to opposite ends of thevalve-cylinder, a fluid conduit line leading from the source to the endof the piston away from the bore, and a valve for directing the fluidunder high pressure alternately through the lines leading to the valvecylinder to reciprocate the valve member whereby the inlet passage andoutlet passage are successively opened and closed, and for directing thefluid under high pressure through the line leading to the pistoncylinder to eject the charge through the open outlet passage.

4. In a lubricant distributing system, a battery of lubricators eachincluding a measuring pump including a valve cylinder havinglongitudinally spaced inlet and outlet passages and a bore intermediatesaid passages, a plunger reciprocable in the bore, a piston cylinder, aunitary plunger and piston reciprocable in the bore and piston cylinderrespectively, a valve member reciprocably mounted in the valve cylinderand having a groove of a length less than the distance between said 1passages, said groove alternately establishing communication between thebore and inlet passage in one position of the valve and between the boreand the outlet passage in the other position of the valve, meansincluding a pump manifold connected to the inlet passages in parallelfor supplying lubricant under pressure to the inlet passages, a sourceof fluid under high pressure, fluid conduit lines leading from thesource to opposite ends of the valve and piston cylinders, and a valvefor directing the fluid under high pressure alternately through thelines leading to the cylinders to reciprocate the valve members wherebythe inlet passage and outlet passage of each lubricator are successivelyopened and closed, and for directing the fluid under high pressurealternately through the lines leading to the piston cylinder of eachlubricator to reciprocate the pistons to draw in a charge of lubricantthrough the open inlet passages and eject the charge through the openoutlet passages.

5. In a lubricant distributing system, a battery of lubricators eachincluding a measuring pump including a valve cylinder havinglongitudinally spaced inlet and outlet passages and a bore intermediatesaid passages, a plunger reciprocable in the bore, a piston cylinder, aunitary plunger and piston reciprocable in the bore and piston cylinderrespectively, a valve member reciprocably mounted in the valve cylinderand having a groove of a length less than the distance between saidpassages, said groove alternately establishing communication between thebore and inlet passage in one position of the valve and between the boreand the outlet passage in the other position of the valve, meansincluding a pump manifold connected to the inlet passages in parallelfor supplying lubricant under pressure to the inlet passages, a valvemanifold connecting the one end of the valve cylinders in parallel, avalve manifold connecting the other end of the valve cylinders inparallel, a source of fluid under high pressure, fluid conduit linesleading from the source to the valve manifolds and to opposite ends ofthe piston cylinders, and a valve for directing the fluid under highpressure alternately through the lines leading to the valve manifolds toreciprocate the valve members whereby the inlet passages and outletpassages are successively opened and closed, and for directing the fluidunder high pressure alternately through the lines leading to theopposite ends of the piston cylinders to reciprocate the pistons to drawin a charge of lubricant through the open inlet passages and eject thecharge through the open outlet passages.

MAURICE RESWICK.

